Woman Beside The Man Tammy Worsham

Please forgive my lack of posting WBTM for the last couple of weeks. I have no good excuse! I am excited to introduce you to sweet Tammie Fay whom I got to meet at Nashville’s Deeper Still back in ’07. Y’all give her a big welcome and be sure to visit her personal blog. I am enjoying these spotlights so much and I truly hope you are too. Now, let’s hear from Tammie Faye!

1. Please share your Real Name and Blog Name:

Name: Tammie Worsham Blog Name: TammieFay

2. In what area/areas of ministry do you serve alongside your husband? How long have you been in ministry?

I serve in Women’s Ministry and teach Adult Women’s Sunday School. 28 years

3. What is your favorite part of being a ministry wife?

Watching people “get it”! Being a part of that. Seeing them fall in love with God’s Word and develop a hunger and thirst for Him!

4. Describe your personal giftedness. How do you exercise that within the church?

I am a teacher. I walked too long in Biblical ignorance as a Christian. 11 years ago I began to pray Psalm 119 over my life. Being the gracious, merciful and truthful God that He is, He answered and my life has been transformed by His living Word. I do not mean to sound over dramatic when I say this, but it is true…I cannot live without it and what is even more amazing is that I don’t even want to try! I am awed by the revelation of Himself that God has left to us. There are too many women in our churches today who are as I was….it is my heart’s desire to see them develop a hunger and thirst for his Word and to know it! To that end, I teach, admonish and encourage through Sunday School, and Women’s Bible Study.

5. If you have children, what’s the most embarrassing PK thing they’ve ever done? If you do not have children, have you committed a blunder yourself that you can laugh about now?

We have 4 daughters, and it has always been important for us to be truthful in all things with our children. For that reason, we made the decision to be truthful about “Santa Clause” with our girls. They always knew their Christmas gifts came from us and of course, we always related the spiritual significance of that. We never wanted to leave an opportunity for any doubt to be placed in their minds about the existence of Jesus (my husband was devastated as a young child when he learned the truth about Santa). When my youngest, who is now 15, was in elementary school, she went about “enlightening” some friends on the playground about Santa. One of them was in our church….got a call that afternoon from her Mom….wanted me to know what my child had done….wanted to know why….wanted me to do something…..wanted my child to recant! I told her I was very sorry that my child had upset hers and then I started trying to explain where my child was coming from….I don’t think that’s what she wanted!

6. What is the single most important piece of advice you would like to offer other ministry wives?

This might fall on some differently than others, depending on the denomination you serve in, but hear me on this…..God is our security! In the denomination I serve, job security is about as “iffy” as a SEC College football coach’s. We might be tempted to think that our husband’s welfare…our family’s welfare, rests in the hands of fallible men. Our God is Sovereign….He IS in control!“He is your constant source of security. He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom. He gives all this to those who fear Him.” Isaiah 33:6 (NET)

7. Do you have a question about ministry life you’d like answered by those who reading this spotlight?

When you have received criticism about your husband, do you always share with him what you have heard or do you keep it to yourself to shield him?

Very good question. I do hear criticism from time to time about my hubby. It’s generally in an informal conversation or in a bible study. There are times when I’ve taken the heat for him and joked about it with the group (without making it an issue…) and that seems to simmer the fire down. Other times when I think the criticism is well founded I may broach the subject with my hubby in a nonconfrontational way. I generally don’t tell him where I heard it from – because that can bring up it’s own issues too!

So, bottom line, my answer is yes and no! But I always have my hubby’s best interest at heart. I allow my love to filter the criticism and go from there!

I love Tammie Fay! WHAT GREAT ANSWERS!!! I met her through blog world and then we met face to face at the LPL for Ministers’ Wives back in March in Nashville. She is a delightful woman and so genuine.

WOW – that is a tough question and a hurtful one too! I want to always “stand by my man,” and this I know – timing is everything as far as telling him. Never ever on Sunday morning before church (actually never ever on Sunday at all)! I don’t want to do anything to detract from the Lord’s Day and all that is going on there. The warfare is thick enough anyway on Sundays.

Pick a time when you can share what was said – but then follow it up as well with your love and support.

I had a very critical woman who would do this to me from time to time and I finally just started “THANKING HER FOR PRAYING FOR MY HUSBAND” and she stopped…